TOURNEY BRACKETS

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Youth was served in the University of Maryland's men's lacrosse season opener as four Terrapin freshmen combined for nine goals in No. 7 Maryland's 11-6 victory over fourth-ranked Georgetown at the Hoyas' Multi-Sport Field Saturday afternoon.

Grant Catalino, who scored a game-high four goals, got the ball rolling for the Terps with an unassisted goal at the 9:35 mark. The freshman from Webster, N.Y., picked up a groundball off of a shot by fellow Terp freshman Travis Reed that hit the right post. Catalino scooped up the ball and quickly put the ball past Hoya goalie Miles Kass for a 1-0 Terrapin lead.

Georgetown and Maryland traded rapid-fire goals over the next two minutes of play. Andrew Brancaccio scored to tie the game at 8:50. Senior co-captain Will Dalton used the NCAA's new face-off rule to give the Terps a 2-1 lead on the ensuing face-off. Georgetown's Brian Taubb was whistled for moving early on the draw giving Maryland a fast-break opportunity. Dalton took full advantage by racing down the middle of the field and burying a shot from 10 yards out. Brendan Cannon scored his only goal of the game off of a rebound off the post to knot the score at 2-2.

But that's as close as the Hoyas would get to taking a lead in the game as Maryland ripped off the next five goals.

Freshman Ryan Young scored the first goal of his career, beating All-America defender Jerry Lambe around the back of the net before finishing with a nifty one-handed wraparound goal into the top left corner of the goal. Catalino scored his second of the game, converting on a man-up opportunity off an assist from Dan Groot.

Maryland closed out the first quarter with a 5-2 lead thanks to a high-bounce goal by redshirt junior Jeff Reynolds with just 15 seconds left on the clock.

The quarter break did little to stifle the Maryland momentum as the Terps tacked on another score - by another freshman - just 15 seconds into the period. Sophomore long pole controlled the ball off of the opening face-off and fed perfect pass to Travis Reed on the right wing, where he laced a shot into the Hoyas goal.

The freshman train kept rolling for the Terps with midfielder Tony Mendes who connected on his first career score at the 9:56 mark of the second quarter. The Chapel Hill, N.C., native got some separation with a great split dodge to the middle of the field and fired the ball into the top right corner of the goal.

After the Hoyas scored to make the game 7-3, Catalino scored his third of the game off an assist from junior midfielder Jeremy Sieverts to lift Maryland's lead back to five. Georgetown would convert on a man-up opportunity for the half's final score to cut its deficit to four at the half.

But Maryland came out of the intermission and scored off of the ensuing face-off. Georgetown won the draw, but Maryland forced a turnover near midfield. Yound scooped up the loose ball and hit a 40-yard shot for his second goal of the game. Kass had come out away from the net as the Hoyas attempted to clear the ball into the Maryland zone, leaving an empty net for Young.

Young picked up his first collegiate assist on Maryland's next goa, feeding Reed on the right wing from behind the goal. Reed then hit a quick low shot to give Maryland a 10-4 lead.

Georgetown's Jake Samperton scored at the 6:15 mark of the third period, but Catalino, off another assist by Sieverts, rolled around and over a pair of Hoya defenders for his fourth goal of the game.

The fourth quarter saw only one goal, a man-up score by Georgetown's Craig Dowd off an assist by Cannon at the 6:45 mark. The Terps used a controlled, patient offense to run out the clock and take home the victory.

Redshirt junior Jason Carter, who missed all of 2007 with a broken collarbone, earned the start in cage for the Terps and made seven saves. He gave way to sophomore Brian Phipps in the second half and the 2007 Freshman of the Year allowed just two goals, while making three stops.

Defensively, Maryland was led by Farrell, who led the Terps with three caused turnovers and three groundballs. Senior All-America candidate Joe Cinosky also had three groundballs and caused one Hoya turnover.

Maryland returns to action on Tuesday, Feb. 26, with a 3 p.m. game at Mount St. Mary's in Emmitsburg, Md..

as a huge terps fan myself this is very exciting to see such a young squad get this win against a very tough and deep georgetown. What makes it even more exciting is seeing that the freshmen are contributing so early, and in such big games (yes this is a big game, first of the season or not) Look for this team in the final four or mabey in finals come playoff time!!!!!

And, if Maryland keeps it up and stays healthy, I think they can. One thing I love about Maryland is that both the fans and players are much less stuck-up, flashy, and high on themselves as those from other teams. I love to see teams like that do so well!

Thank goodness someone else out there realizes the real reason for the Terps offensive resurgence - Andrew Copelan as offensive coordinator! That sure wasn't Cottle's slow it down, boring offense! Copelan has these young guys playing crisp and inspired.

a little early to say this is a final team but IF they keep playing like this they have a great chance. but if you ever watch any maryland sports including lacrosse maryland is very inconsistant. hopefully Cottle can keep these boy pumped up like today. GO TERPS

the terps beating up on the Hoyas isnt surprising to me...the Hoya's are good no doubt about it...but they'll never be able to take that step that these others team make because they don't have those big name players...i think teams like Albany, Cornell, and maybe even Notre Dame can beat or keep it close with the Hoya's because they all have a X factor...Albany has a solid offense and defense...Cornell can score at given moment almost like the Cuse of any year but last year...and the Irish okay I take back the Irish...but still the Hoya are just average when you really break them down inside and out and look at some of the teams that they play agaisnt...

Both the Terps & Hoyas have been snakebit re: going to the dance. Gtwn was supposed to have had the best incoming class last year. Md is a perennial almost make it team. What intangible pushes a team over the top ?. Probably, being able to fall back on a solid defense and run a transition game makes the most sense. Yet how many teams can actually do these two things ?
They'll make the final 16 but after that.... who knows

In the past, Cottle's teams have struggled at times, especially in big games, when they have been the favorites. If that can change throughout the next few seasons, great things will happen for Maryland. Trust me!

Maryland is a great team, and duke is a really great team, this Saturday should be the real test of how good Maryland really is. I know grant catalino#1 personally bc i go to the same high school and he is a huge impact player and so is his brother mike catalino which is a middie for duke#29, it will be very entertaining to watch the brothers "duke" it out this weekend